Blogger Pam Powers (“Tucson Progressive”) announced this event (with an online poll): http://tucsoncitizen.com/tucson-progressive/2012/04/30/public-forum-today-should-rta-knock-down-100-buildings-to-make-broadway-look-like-a-freeway-poll/

The $71 M plan would call for widening of Broadway from Euclid to Country Club, affecting about 115 businesses on the north side, and historic buildings, neighborhoods such as Rincon Heights and Sam Hughes (on the National Historic Registry). Both Presidents of those neighborhoods spoke against the plan.

Speakers last evening at the press conference:

1) Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik
2) Mark Kerr, aide to Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres
3) Colby Henley, President of Rincon Hts. Neighborhood
4) Jessica Shuman, business owner of Kismet, 2627 E Broadway
5) John O’Dowd, President of Sam Hughes Neighborhood Assn.
6) Sid Hirsch, business owner of Hirsch’s Shoes, 2934 E. Broadway
7) Rev. Stuart Taylor, Tucson Bus Riders’ Union,
Eight) Demion Clinco, Pres. of Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation
9) District 5 Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias

Video below of the press conference courtesy of John Brakey, Co-founder of AUDIT-AZ:

Also present were: Ward 2 Councilmember Paul Cunningham, former State House Rep. Ted Downing, former Sahuarita Councilmember Rosanna Gabaldon, former Mayoral candidate Rick Grinnell, District 3 Supervisor candidate Tanner Bell, former State Senator John Kromko, attorney Bill Risner, former TUSD Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer, Brian Flagg from Casa Maria Kitchen, Donovan Durband Administrator from Parkwise, former Green Party candidates Dave Croteau (Mayor), Beryl Baker (Ward 1 Council), Kent Solberg (LD 27 House). I estimated the crowd at about 200 people, many of whom arrived by bicycle.

Steve K said that 15-20 neighborhoods were represented at the press conference, and I recognized neighborhood leaders from: Rincon Hts, Sam Hughes, Colonia Solana, El Encanto Estates, Arroyo Chico, Broadway-Broadmoor, Campbell-Grant, Catalina Vista, even Udall Park Neighborhood out east. Aides from the Council offices of Ward 1, 2, 5 and 6 were present as well.

If you feel strongly about this issue, contact the Mayor/City Councilmembers or your Supervisor at Pima County. Supervisor Richard Elias said yesterday that the citizens had to “force change to happen”, if they felt this 25 year old plan to widen Broadway was not necessary. Many of the speakers requested that the historic buildings be preserved, that small businesses on Broadway not be affected by any widening.

Steve K also noted during this one hour (6 to 7 p.m. on a Monday) that there was no traffic congestion on Broadway next to the church. My husband also told me that he was down there on Broadway (between Highland & Park) that same afternoon between 3:30 and 4 p.m. and there was no traffic jam.

Photo of crowd yesterday at press conference, courtesy of Pam Powers Hannley.

Update: At the December 20 Tucson Mayor and Council, by a 6-0 vote, they went on record to oppose the proposed closure of the Cherrybell Post Office Processing and Distribution Center.

This item was placed on the Council agenda by Councilmember Richard Fimbres. He expressed his appreciation to the Mayor and fellow Councilmembers for realizing the importance of this and how it could impact Tucson’s economy.

Arnold Elias, retired Tucson Postmaster and Connie Sadler-Nelson with the local Postalworkers Union were present to speak about the impact this closure would have on Tucson.

Councilmember Fimbres also urged people to attend the public hearing or to write to get their comments in by January 12.

TUCSONS MAIL SORTING POST OFFICE FACILITY UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR CLOSURE BY USPS; HEARING SET FOR DECEMBER 28

Tucson- On Wednesday, December 28, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will be holding a public hearing in Tucson on whether to close Tucson mail sorting facility and moving that service to the Phoenix facility.

This hearing will be held at the Leo Rich Theater, 260 South Church, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Tucsons Processing and Distribution Center, located at 1600 South Cherrybell Stravenue is one of many facilities being studied for possible closure under the direction of the current U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe.

Currently, more than 1,000,000 pieces of mail a year is being processed by the Cherrybell Post Office.

Up to 400 jobs are in possible jeopardy with this potential closure of this facility by the USPS.

This would be a substantial setback to the effort to rebuild Tucson’s economy, said Councilmember Richard Fimbres. In addition, this would also hurt businesses who rely on the distribution center, the elderly who may pay bills by mail or wait for their Social Security checks and medication, he added.

Fimbres went on to say that, If Tucson loses the Processing and Distribution Center, the effort to recruit companies to the area would be severely hampered, since the city would be one of the largest without a Distribution Center. Tucson is the 33rd largest city in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.

Government functions involving mailing items, peoples water bill, and electric bills and voting by mail would be impacted by this potential closure, Fimbres said. Small, local businesses that rely on mail order service could close if Tucson’s distribution center is moved to Phoenix.

The proposed closure is only one item being considered by the USPS. The elimination of overnight service in the Tucson metro area as well as all of the 856 zip code areas is also on the table.

This is not just a Tucson issue, it will affect all of Southern Arizona, its citizens, businesses and their governments, Fimbres stated. This would end overnight service as well as cause delays for the mail for Tucson and the Southern Arizona region.

At the December 28 meeting, the public will have the opportunity at this meeting to speak to the USPS management in attendance and give their feedback on the proposed shut-down of the Tucson mail sorting facility and moving that service to the Phoenix facility.

USPS is also inviting their largest local business customers to the meeting so they can hear about the plan and its possible effects on their mailings.

The public may send their comments on this to the USPS. Comments will be accepted and postmarked by January 12, 2012. Written comments may be sent to: Management, Consumer and Industry Contact, Arizona District, P.O. Box, 21628, Phoenix, Arizona 85036-1628.

Contact: Mark Kerr, 520-837-4281, Ward 5 Council Office
Arnold Elias (former Tucson Postmaster) h) 520-622-6128
Alvaro Alvarez (former Tucson Postmaster) (c) 520-349-8534
American Postal Workers Union Local 255, Connie Sadler-Nelson, 520-325-5891

I’ve been receiving several email alerts & even one on Facebook about this proposed closing, so please plan on attending this meeting at the TCC Leo Rich Theater, and voice your concerns. If you miss it, send comments via mail by 1/12/12 to:
Management, Consumer and Industry Contact, Arizona District, P.O. Box, 21628, Phoenix, Arizona 85036-1628.

One of the emails I received from Beryl Baker (former Ward 1 Council candidate) said that this closure will impact the following:

* Elders who rely on USPS for prescription medication delivery.
* Businesses who rely on having a local distribution center; small and home
businesses who receive raw goods and resell finished ones via mail delivery will
see their turnaround times impacted.
* Vote-by-mail programs.
* Tucson’s ability to recruit new business to the area.
* All of Southern Arizona — Oro Valley, Marana, Bisbee, Ajo, Tohono O’odham and
Pascua Yaqui Nations, Green Valley, et cetera.

Another email was about saving postal jobs and a rally/march on 12/28 as well:

Tucson’s Jobs with Justice Coalition urges
YOU to support Tucson’s postal workers.

STAND UP TUCSON!

Say NO to cutting Postal jobs and essential services!

On Wednesday December 28th

4:30pm – Assemble at Veinte de Agosto Park
(corner of Congress & Church), Downtown Tucson

4:30pm to 5:15pm – Sign-waving rally in
support of Tucson Postal employees.

5:15pm to 5:45pm – Downtown march beginning
at Veinte de Agosto Park, ending at the 6pm – Public hearing

On the “liberal” side:

–Blog for Arizona, www.blogforarizona.com, by Michael Bryan, David Safier, “AZBlueMeanie”, Craig McDermott (“Random Musings“), and Jenn F

–The Observer, www.tucsonobserver.com by Bob Ellis and Mark Kerr (latter was formerly here at Tucsoncitizen.com). The Observer has a print edition as well.

–The Range (Tucson Weekly), www.tucsonweekly.com/blogs/theRange/ by a host of reporters including Jim Nintzel, Dan Gibson, Mari Herreras, and others.

–Rum Romanism Rebellion, www.rumromanismrebellion.net by Ted Prezelski aka “Tedski” (former Democratic candidate for LD 28 House and brother of former LD 29 House Rep. Tom Prezelski)

In the middle:

–Pueblo Politics (AZ Daily Star, www.azstarnet.com/blogs/pueblo-politics/, by Rhonda Bodfield & Andrea Kelly, Star reporters

On the “conservative” side:

–Arizona News-Telegraph, www.arizonanewstelegraph.com by former Republican LD 30 Rep. Randy Graf, with James Kelley, Hugh Holub, Jonathan DuHamel (the latter two are here at Tucsoncitizen.com as well, respectively as “View from Baja Arizona” and “Wry Heat“)

–The Cholla Jumps, www.thechollajumps.workdpress.com, by James Kelley (formerly here at Tucsoncitizen.com)

–Sonoran Alliance, www.sonoranalliance.com by ? (“We are an alliance of political writers and activists dedicated to reporting and promoting conservative news, ideas, opinion and principles throughout Arizona and the Sonoran Southwest.”)

–Tucson Choices, www.tucsonchoices.com by KVOI radio talk show hosts Joe Higgins (former Republican District 1 candidate for Pima County Supervisor) and Chris DeSimone, and others

Plus the wide range of political blogsites here at Tucsoncitizen.com, from the liberal “3 Sonorans” and “Tucson Progressive“, to the conservative “Compound Captive” and “Fort Buckley“. And I think “The Data Port” might be an Independent in the middle. See the list to the right on our home page of all the blogs under Politics & Government (Pol. & Govt.).

Many of these blogsites have lists & hyperlinks to other political blogrolls as well, in Arizona and elsewhere.

Let me know which are your favorites, or of any I may have overlooked in Southern Arizona.

Keep on blogging.

10/24/11 Updates: Hugh Holub (Views from Baja Arizona) passed away suddenly on 9/17/11. R.I.P. Hugh. Blogger 3 Sonorans reported today that The Cholla Jumps will no longer be blogging after 11/1/11, and liberal Poco Bravo (Luke Knipe) has returned online:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/three-sonorans/2011/10/23/one-blog-dies-another-one-experiences-rebirth/. And former Star reporter Andrea Kelly is now at KUAT Channel 6 TV.

Aidswalk 2009 bookmark

Sunday October 11, 2009 is the date for the upcoming 21st Tucson Aidswalk event, once more to be held at the U of A. The official website is: www.aidswalktucson.com sponsored by the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation. Blogger Mark Kerr “Tucson Observer” has already blogged on this event, but I wanted to repeat it for the readers out there.

I am usually able to raise about $200 to $300 each time I participate in Aidswalk. A few years ago I was interviewed by a reporter from this newspaper, as to why I walked.

My niece Tiffany raised an astonishing $3,000 for the Honolulu Aidswalk this past April. I’m so proud of her for caring so much to help this cause.

“This year’s message, I walk because…it allows people to share their story. I walk because…every 9½ minutes someone is infected with HIV. I walk because…approximately 2 young Americans under the age of 24 become infected with HIV every hour of every day. I walk because…everyone has an HIV status. I walk because… ”

Thousands and thousands of people show up on the U of A mall– to run the 10K, walk the 5K, check out the educational booths, snack on free food and listen to the entertainment, lend support, socialize, etc.

“I walk because”…this event is all about community in Southern Arizona.